Wood Booger Top 5: Best Imperial Stouts

With the cold and maybe snow this week, Snow Miser is still not ready to concede winter to his half-brother Heat Miser and because of that I have decided to do a Top 5 on my favorite winter beer the Stout. Because of the number of different Stouts I have had I am going to split these in to three Top 5 list. The first will be for maybe my favorite style of beer the Russian Imperial Stout.

I have had over 30 of this strongest and darkest of the stout family. It was inspired by brewers back in the 1800's to win over the Russian Czar; this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes (ABV) and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors, and is often dry.  So with that said here is the Wood Booger Top 5 Russian Imperial Stouts.

Honorable Mention:  Oak Aged Yeti from Great Divide Brewing Company. This version of the Yeti family maybe the best, heck it is one of the best beers…period. As I write this I am finishing up a growler I picked up Saturday. It is dark, smoky with a hint of chocolate. The reason it is Honorable Mention is this is a seasonal edition of the regular Yeti.  It is one of only five beers I gave a 5 rating on BeerAdvocate. ABV: 9.5%. Well, on to the list.

Number 5: Blaecorn Unidragon from Clown Shoes. This brewery is known for two things. One is the cool art on the front of its bottles. The second what is in said bottles and this, IMHO, is the best beer from this Massachusetts brewer. It pours dark like the dragon on the bottle. This is one excellent beer. BeerAdvocate Rating – 4.5 and ABV: 12.5%.

Number 4: Founders Imperial Stout from Founders Brewing Company. I have to say pound-for-pound Founders has as many great beers as any brewer in the U.S. Ones like there Breakfast Stout are great, but the Imperial Stout is as good as it gets. It is everything an Imperial is supposed to be dark, thick and good. BeerAdvocate Rating – 4.75 and ABV: 10.5%.

Number 3: Narwhal from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. I remember when I saw this one on the Beer Street Journal around the same time I think read if you like the Ten FIDY you would like this one and I have to say I agree. This is a great Imperial Stout, just a tick better the Founders enough to place third. Trust me the two that are better are exceptional!  BeerAdvocate Rating – 4.75 and ABV: 10.2%.

Number 2: Yeti from Great Divide Brewing Company. There are a number of different Yeti’s like the Oak Aged (see above) to the a Belgian Style one. However, the one thing they all have in common is the original, you might say...the Yeti. This Squatch has a big foot it is dark, and has roasted flavor that is the foundation of the Yeti line. There are better Yeti’s, but these others we be nowhere without this one and is great in its own right. BeerAdvocate Rating – 4.75 and ABV: 9.5%.

Number 1: Ten FIDY from Oskar Blues Brewery. A course this beer is the measuring stick for all other Imperial Stouts, I have blogged about this beer before and have expressed how much I love this brew so it should be no surprise that it is number one. It covers all the bases it is dark as motor oil, and just as thick. It has that great roasted malt flavor with hints of chocolate that any great Imperial Stout has. Oh, and add to that the caramel and coffee flavors and you have one great beer. I have had this in can and on tap and it is great both ways. If there is a heaven it will have rivers of Ten FIDY, this may be my favorite beer. Oh, it is one of the other five beers that I have given a 5 rating to on BeerAdvocate and ABV: 10.5%.